er head to see
the old king's palace--the "rightful king," as she called the stricken
Majesty of Britain. For she was attached to George the Third with a real
affection, which dated from her childhood and her mother's teachings.
The Regent and the Regency party had no friend in her, so that, for this
reason alone, she was a welcome guest at Hanover Lodge.

To the astonished minion who opened the door she held out her hand,
saying, "Good-day to you--I kenna your first name, but hoo are the wife
and the bairns?"

The solemn footman stammered that he was an unmarried man, and the
Princess laughed heartily.

"I shall remember your lesson in politeness when I come to Ladykirk,"
she said. "Is it James or Gilbert who opens the door?"

"That just depends, my leddy," said Miss Aline, "sometimes one is more
fit to be seen than another. But either o' them would take it sore to
heart if ye did not speer for the health o' his family."

"Indeed, it is a good custom, and much used in Germany, where I come
from," said the Princess.

"I'm thinking," said Miss Aline, "that in that country they will show
more kindliness and hameliness to the folk that serve them than in this
cauldrife England."

"You are wholly right, Miss Aline," the Princess answered. "I remember
that when my father made a joke--it was always a good, old,
time-honoured favourite--he would look about to see that all the
servants were smiling at the jest. They had heard it a hundred times
before, but he always liked to see that they were enjoying it along with
the family."

So Miss Aline was installed at Hanover Lodge and, before half a day was
over, had wormed her way into the confidence of the housekeeper, had won
a right to use the kitchen, had consulted the cook on several recondite
subjects and furnished her with a new receipt for elderberry wine, and
had taken over the whole matter of the preserving for the year. She had
arrived a little late, but the gardener had orders to procure for her
from Covent Garden all that her heart desired to boil and sweeten and
stir and put up in crocks and jars, till there was a sweet smell all
about Hanover Lodge which carried out even to the wherries that went by
in mid-stream, causing the rowers to turn their heads and sniff
longingly.

CHAPTER XX

LOUIS RAINCY ENDURES HARDNESS

Two months later the two courts, that of the Queen and that of the
Regent, were equally aware of the rising of a new star of beauty